Staff report

Published on Jun. 4, 2011

Jun. 4, 2011

The 2011 MLB Draft begins Monday, as does the MLB Network’s coverage of the event. Hosts Greg Amsinger, Peter Gammons, John Hart and Harold Reynolds will kick off the coverage at 6 p.m. ET. MLB Network will air complete coverage of the first round and compensation rounds live, which also will be streamed live on MLB.com.

Hart, Amsinger and Reynolds previewed the draft by answering a series of questions for Sporting News. For part two of the roundtable, click here.

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Which pitcher has the best power arm?

John Hart: Alex Meyer probably has the best power arm in the draft. He’s a big-body kid out of Kentucky who has a power fastball. Dylan Bundy and Archie Bradley are close, but Meyer right now has the strongest arm.

Greg Amsinger: He may only be in high school, but Dylan Bundy has the best power. He’s hit 100 miles per hour numerous times this year, and very few pitchers can say they’ve done that in college or high school this year.

Harold Reynolds: It’s probably Dylan Bundy. He’s got the best pure fastball in the draft. I think Gerrit Cole has the second-best power arm because he’s shown the endurance to pitch in the 90s late in the game.

Which hitter has the best pure power?

Hart: I don’t think there is a 40-home run hitter that jumps out at you on the board. Utah’s C.J. Cron has the potential to be a power hitter in the big leagues, but he’s no sure thing.

Amsinger: The easy choice is Bubba Starling because he’s hit 500-foot home runs, but another player I want to throw in there is Larry Greene out of Georgia. He’s a lefthanded hitter who broke his high school record with 15 home runs this season. He’s an outfielder right now, but eventually could become a powerful designated hitter.

Reynolds: I like Johnny Coy out of Wichita State, but there is no Adam Dunn in this draft. Right now, there’s no prospect that has great power who can hit moon shots.

Who is the player/pitcher who will make the quickest jump to the majors?

Hart: A lot depends on what the organization needs at that point in time, but I’m going to go with Jed Bradley. He’s one of the more advanced lefties in the draft who has a chance to come along quickly.

Amsinger: Danny Hultzen out of Virginia has the best chance to make it to the major leagues quickly. It’s a pretty simple formula: Hultzen is the best pitcher on the best team in the country. He’s a tall lefthander who doesn’t just throw with power. He already knows how to pitch and his package will play well at the big league level. Keep in mind, he’ll be drafted in the top five and all those teams could use an immediate impact arm.

Reynolds: Trevor Bauer because he can throw his off-speed pitches for strikes and that usually takes pitchers some time to figure out.

There isn't a Stephen Strasburg or Bryce Harper in this draft, but who is the can't-miss pick this year?

Hart: If Anthony Rendon shows he can stay healthy, he has a chance to be a real solid big leaguer. He’s got an advanced swing, enough power and strong plate discipline. Don’t sleep on his defense, either. He catches the ball well. But staying healthy is the big “if” factor for this kid. It’s certainly not the most comfortable feeling in the world for a general manager when you’re already discussing the health of a player.

Amsinger: The cant-miss pick is Anthony Rendon out of Rice University. Even though his numbers are down this season, he’s one of the best college hitters we’ve seen in the last 20 years. He’s also battled through injuries during his college career and has proven to scouts he can handle adversity. He’s a pure hitter and the best hitter in this draft class.

Reynolds: The three kids I’m focusing in on are Bubba Starling, Dylan Bundy and Josh Bell. But you can’t ever guarantee what these guys will do. Look at Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. We were going crazy about these two kids, and now Strasburg is hurt and Harper is in the minors. You just don’t know with the MLB Draft.

Who is the player with the biggest risk-reward tag on him?

Hart: The biggest risk-reward player is probably Alex Meyer. He’s 6-9 with a lot of moving parts. He can be a real special pitcher or he can be a guy that never figures it out.

Reynolds: Javier Baez is a kid I really like. He’s not getting a lot of publicity, but he has a chance to be a slick shortstop. He’s my sleeper pick and you know I had to go with a middle infielder!

Who is the hitter in this draft who most reminds you of a current major leaguer (and who is that player)?

Hart: Bubba Starling reminds me a lot like Drew Stubbs, but Starling has the potential to be a better contact hitter. They’re both exciting players who have similar bodies and instincts.

Amsinger: Mikie Mahtook, the center fielder for the LSU Tigers says his favorite player is Torii Hunter, but I think he’s a smoother version of Hunter Pence. Similar to Pence, he’s the hardest worker on the field, has an impact bat, he’ll steal a base and also make crazy diving catches in the outfield.

Reynolds: Ronnie Richardson out of the University of Central Florida reminds me of Jimmy Rollins. Switch hitter, same physique and he’s got that explosiveness like Rollins.

Who is the pitcher in this draft who most reminds you of a current major leaguer (and who is that player)?

Hart: When I look at Dylan Bundy from Oklahoma, Roy Oswalt pops into my head. Oswalt made an All-Star career out of having an aggressive mentality with an above-average fastball. He attacks the hitters and Bundy has showed glimpses of pitching the same way.

Amsinger: Gerrit Cole reminds me of Joba Chamberlain. He’s taller than Chamberlain, but he’s got that same intimidation mindset with the high velocity, strikeout repertoire.

Reynolds: I don’t know about a current major leaguer, but Dylan Bundy has the same leg kick and delivery as Nolan Ryan. He’s got that drop and drive delivery that Nolan had.